Does Boinc keep downloading from the internet?

[dmeredith]

I am running SocketShield, which shows that boincmgr.exe and bonc.exe are constantly downloading/uploading. I just installed netstat via yahoo widgets and it shows about 1MB being downloaded every 5 mins while boinc is running, but when I exit boinc this stops. Is this normal? I have noticed this for a while but only just started to investigate.

[UBT - Mikee]

Some of the Work Units are over 1 meg (Boincsimap is around 1.5 meg). I can't imagine you're doing 1 WU in 5 minutes unless they're actually failing and downloading another WU.

I'm running a few SIMAP WU's now and over the last 15 mins I've only downloaded just under 2 meg of data (that's everything tho').

Have a look at the BOINC manager/Messages tab - it should tell you whats been transfering since the app launched.

[UBT - Timbo]

I am running SocketShield, which shows that boincmgr.exe and bonc.exe are constantly downloading/uploading. I just installed netstat via yahoo widgets and it shows about 1MB being downloaded every 5 mins while boinc is running, but when I exit boinc this stops. Is this normal? I have noticed this for a while but only just started to investigate.

Hi,

How many projects are you actively running (ie that are NOT set to "no new tasks") and what are they?

Is your PC left on 24/7, or only for a limited time?

The 2nd question is perhaps more relevant, becaase, if the PC is switched off, it cannot upload completed work and download new work. So, it can only do this for the limited period when it's "on".

So, maybe what you're seeing is "big activity" while BOINC talks to all the projects sending up the finished work and checking with each project if they have any new work for you.

Likewise, if your ADSL connction is a bit ropey (mine is sometimes !) and hence it can only "connect" when the ADSL "link" is good.

What happens if you switch "BOINC" to "Network activity suspended" - does the "amount" drop?

Also, are you runnign any other network type programs in your task bar (like IM).


regards,

Tim

[dmeredith]

Currently on EDF mode so hasn't downloaded any new units today.  I run boincimap, einstein, lhc and wcg. Snoozing boinc makes no difference to the upload/download, only exiting. Running a wcg unit at the mo, with 6 hours left to complete. PC switched off at night. PC is 2.8GHz with 1GB RAM.
In about the last 1.5 hours netstat shows 45.8MB downloaded and 25.4MB uploaded. socketshield shows:
boincmgr.exe bytes sent 803208, received 855320 port 31416
boinc.exe bytes sent 11156915, received 101218 port 31416
Boinc mamanger shows listening on port 31416 and no downloads/uploads.
Socketshield shows both as IP 127.0.0.1 (is this local host?). Not sure what this means though....

[UBT - Halifax-lad]

Hi dmeredith I have the answer you need

boincmgr talks to boinc constantly, think of it as 2 applications boincmgr the main bit you see and then in the background a separate science bit, these two constantly pass info to each other and make it look like there is network activity as they talk via certain ports making the computer think it is the Internet.

It is quite normal and nothing to worry about at all, certain network monitors & firewalls often get tricked into thinking its the Internet when its really BOINC just talking to its self.

Unless of course you are constantly downloading work which I don't think you will be

[dmeredith]

Thanks for that - I thought it might be something like that but couldn't see why netstat also thought downloading was in process. As I'm on unlimted ADSL wasn't too worried but thought it might have an effect on others if it really was downloading!!
You help much appreciated - I'll keep cruching then (and add rosetta again soon but last week it kept stalling on workunits so I have suspended it temporarily).

[UBT - Halifax-lad]

Glad to help come back anytime for more Q&A

[UBT - PiezPiedPy]

Glad to help come back anytime for more Q&A

Nice1 for tha Halifax--lad, noticed the same thing the other day, it had me scratching my head for a bit:?

[UBT - Halifax-lad]

Gets the firewalls scratching there heads too.

If anyone uses Zone Alarm or anything else where you can press a button to cut off all Internet services then you would need to give BOINC a pass lock or a bypass so that if you lock off the Internet BOINC can still work.

In ZA if you cut off the net it will kill BOINC too as it thinks BOINC is also part of the net but a pass lock rectifies that, don't know how other firewalls handle it if you did that, but its just trial and error

[UBT - Timbo]

Currently on EDF mode so hasn't downloaded any new units today.  I run boincimap, einstein, lhc and wcg. Snoozing boinc makes no difference to the upload/download, only exiting. Running a wcg unit at the mo, with 6 hours left to complete. PC switched off at night. PC is 2.8GHz with 1GB RAM.
In about the last 1.5 hours netstat shows 45.8MB downloaded and 25.4MB uploaded. socketshield shows:
boincmgr.exe bytes sent 803208, received 855320 port 31416
boinc.exe bytes sent 11156915, received 101218 port 31416
Boinc mamanger shows listening on port 31416 and no downloads/uploads.
Socketshield shows both as IP 127.0.0.1 (is this local host?). Not sure what this means though....

Hi,

"Halifax" has got to the answer before me....the last line is the clue. "localhost" (with IP of 127.0.0.1) is your PC and what your network program is monitoring are the inter-communications going on "inside" the PC.

So, it's nothing to worry about, it's just BOINC talking to it's own program "modules" for want of a better explanation.

regards,

Tim

[dmeredith]

Thanks for all your help guys. Glad I can relax in the knowledge that I'm not sucking up random info from the net!
The answer in less than an hour!! Fantastic!!
Now all I need is a more powerful PC to get the units crunching quicker...